Here’s what the young breakout stars of Netflix’s ‘Stranger Things’ look like in real life

Once in a while, magic happens and a star is born. That’s the case with Netflix’s newest hit series, “Stranger Things.”

The first season of the series, set in the 1980s, from brothers Matt and Ross Duffer (“Wayward Pines”), follows the disappearance of a young boy, Will Byers (Noah Schnapp), and the monstrous chain of events it launches in the small town.

Viewers weren’t just enraptured in the series’ references to some of the most memorable movies in cinema, but also they fell in love with the show’s cast, especially its young stars.

“All the kids are getting tons of praise for feeling ‘real,'” Carmen Cuba, the casting director on “Stranger Things,” told the Los Angeles Times of the young actors’ newfound fame.

Who are these kids and what’s next for the talented bunch?

Here’s a quick look at the young breakout stars of “Stranger Things”:

Noah Schnapp …

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… as Will Byers

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Netflix

Noah Schnapp plays Will Byers, whose disappearance becomes the obsession of his family and friends and leads to a monstrous chain of events.

Fun facts: Born in Scarsdale, New York, 11-year-old Schnapp started his acting career in school and community plays. When he was eight years old, his acting teacher recognized his talent and suggested he go professional.

Biggest credits so far: Schnapp voiced the lead character, Charlie Brown, in 2015’s “The Peanuts Movie.” That same year, he appeared in Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks’ “Bridge of Spies.”

What’s next: The second season of “Stranger Things.”

Finn Wolfhard …

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… as Mike Wheeler

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Finn Wolfhard plays Mike Wheeler, the unofficial leader among Will’s friends and the first to befriend Eleven (Millie Brown). He’s a member of the AV club at the kids’ middle school.

Fun facts: A Vancouver native, 13-year-old Wolfhard is a film buff and wants to be a director when he grows up. He’s a fan of Sam Raimi’s early work. Raimi’s “Spider-Man” was the first movie he ever watched. He also plays the bass and guitar.

Biggest credits so far: TV shows “The 100” and “Supernatural,” and the independent film “Aftermath, the Resurrection.”

What’s next: The second season of “Stranger Things” and the movie “It,” based on the Stephen King novel.

Millie Bobby Brown …

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… as Eleven

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Millie Bobby Brown plays Eleven, a young girl who runs into Mike, Lucas, and Dustin while they’re searching for Will. She has tremendous powers and can help lead them to Will. But Eleven has led a horrific life in a nearby lab, being experimented on by Dr. Brenner (Matthew Modine), who she considers her father.

Fun facts: Brown, 12, was born in Spain to British parents. They moved to Orlando when Brown was seven years old, and she began taking acting workshops. That’s where an acting scout discovered her and convinced her parents that she would do very well in Hollywood. So the family soon moved to LA.

Biggest credits so far:Within three months of moving to LA, Brown landed the role of young Alice on ABC’s “Once Upon a Time in Wonderland.” She then landed a lead role in the BBC America drama series “Intruders.” She has also appeared on “NCIS,” “Modern Family,” and “Grey’s Anatomy.”

What’s next:The second season of “Stranger Things” (not confirmed).

Caleb McLaughlin …

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… as Lucas Sinclair

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Caleb McLaughlin plays Lucas Sinclair, one of Will’s buddies who are determined to rescue him.

Fun facts: McLaughlin, a New York native, studied dance at the Harlem School for the Arts. He played Young Simba in “The Lion King” on Broadway. That’s when he actually met “Stranger Things” costar Gaten Matarazzo, who was playing Gavroche in Broadway’s “Les Misérables” in 2014.

Biggest credits so far: McLaughlin had a recurring role on Jennifer Lopez’s cop drama at NBC, “Shades of Blue.” He has also appeared on ABC’s “Forever” and NBC’s “Law & Order: SVU.”

What’s next: The second season of “Stranger Things.” He’s also set to play Ricky Bell in the 2017 BET miniseries about ’80s soul-pop group New Edition.

Gaten Matarazzo …

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… as Dustin Henderson

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Gaten Matarazzo plays Dustin Henderson, one of Will’s buddies who are dead set on finding him.

Fun facts: Matarazzo, 14, grew up in Little Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey. He started his career on Broadway as Benji in “Priscilla, Queen of the Desert.” In 2014, he played Gavroche in “Les Misérables.” He has a rare disease called cleidocranial dysplasia, which affects how bones and teeth develop. The disease was also written into his “Stranger Things” character. A bit older than the other boys, Matarazzo’s voice changed so much by the end of production on “Stranger Things” that the show was unable to use him for audio fixes.

Biggest credits so far: In addition to his Broadway success, Matarazzo appeared on an episode of NBC’s “The Blacklist.”

What’s next: The second season of “Stranger Things.”

Natalia Dyer …

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… as Nancy Wheeler

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Natalia Dyer

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Curtis Baker/Netflix

Natalia Dyer plays Nancy Wheeler, Mike’s teenage sister. Despite caring very little about Mike and his friends, she’s drawn into the search for Will after her best friend, Barb (Shannon Purser), suddenly goes missing.

Biggest credits so far: Her first film role was in 2009’s “Hannah Montana: The Movie,” but her first major movie role arrived with road-trip adventure “The Greening of Whitney Brown,” in 2011.

What’s next: The second season of “Stranger Things.” Plus, her next movie, the supernatural horror “Don’t Let Me Go,” hits theaters in October. Also in 2016, she can bee seen in the sci-fi drama “After Darkness.”

Charlie Heaton …

… as Jonathan Byers

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Charlie Heaton as Jonathan Byers on “Stranger Things.”

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Charlie Heaton plays Jonathan Byers, Will’s high school-aged brother. He believed his brother ran away to their father’s house. But he soon begins to believe that something stranger had happened to Will when he joins Nancy, whom he has a crush on, in the search for Barb.